Alameda crime steady after three-year decline

Alameda crime numbers held stead last year after a three-year decline. Data courtesy of the Alameda Police Department.

Alamedans reported roughly the same number of crimes in 2013 that they did the year before, newly released data show, after two years of seeing crime numbers decline.

Police received 2,079 reports of violent and property crime in 2013, compared with 2,069 in 2012, uniform crime reporting data released by the Alameda Police Department show. In 2010, Alameda police received 2,147 reports of violent and property crime.

A steady rise in stolen cars helped drive the new figures, with Alamedans reporting 54 percent more stolen cars than they did in 2010. Police Chief Paul Rolleri attributed the increase to a six-week period that saw some five dozen car and motorcycle thefts. He said the department arrested two people in mid-November who officers believe were responsible for many of the thefts.